9 noteworthy in-house career moves

Dave Prouty was promoted to general counsel of the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA). Prouty has served as the organization’s chief labor counsel since 2008, before which he spent 22 years at UNITE HIRE, an international union representing the textile and restaurant industry. He replaces Michael Weiner, who will still serve as the MLBPA’s executive director.

The University of Pittsburgh named P. Jerome Richey general counsel, effective March 1. Richey previously was chief legal officer and executive vice president at CONSOL Energy, which he joined in 2005 as general counsel and corporate secretary. He started his career specializing in commercial litigation, employment counseling, governance and internal investigations at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney.

The Republican National Committee (RNC) appointed John Ryder general counsel. Ryder has served as an RNC national committeeman from Tennessee from 1996 until the present, with the exception of the four years between 2004 and 2008. He also chaired the party’s national redistricting efforts following the 2010 census.

Francine Rosenberger joined Steben & Co., a provider of managed futures funds, as general counsel. Rosenberger most recently was an equity partner at K&L Gates, where she advised clients on the formation, structuring and operation of investment companies, exchange-traded funds and commodity pools.

Jeffrey Shanewas named general counsel of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), a trade association representing the airline industry. Before joining IATA, Shane spent four years as a partner at Hogan Lovells. He previously was the Department of Transportation’s U.S. undersecretary of transportation for policy from 2003 to 2008. He replaces Gary Doernhoefer, who is leaving after three years with the organization.

Other In-House Moves

Mark Harding, the general counsel of Barclays, will resign his post as soon as the London-based bank finds his successor. Before assuming the GC role in 2003, Harding was general counsel of UBS’s investment bank and a partner at Clifford Chance.

Law Firm News

Jeff Baudier joined Phelps Dunbar as a partner in its Baton Rouge, La. office. Baudier previously was the president and CEO of Petra Nova, a subsidiary of NRG Energy Inc., where he previously served as regional president and general counsel of the South Central region. At Phelps Dunbar, Baudier will concentrate his practice on the oil, gas and energy industries.

Willard Tom, the one-time general counsel of the Federal Trade Commission, rejoined his former firm, Morgan Lewis, as a partner in its antitrust practice. Before his three-year stint as general counsel, Tom served as deputy director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition and head of its policy office. He resigned from the agency last November.

Cravath, Swaine & Moore hired David Kappos, former director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) as a partner. Kappos led the patent office for three and a half years before resigning in January. He previously was a senior lawyer at IBM Corp., where he held the title of assistant general counsel for intellectual property between 2003 and 2009.